Display case



J. E. TEINBERG DISPLAY cAsE- Filed April 29, 1950 Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATS PTENT QFFECE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to display cases, and is concerned with improvements that provide convenient accessibility from the front, so as to permit arranging the displays from the normal viewing angle, a simplified strutcure that facilitates cleaning, and minimum space requirements when the case is opened.

Many attempts have been made over the years to improve the construction of glass showcases by which the goods of stores are displayed. In most instances, the cases embody a glass front and top which are not removable. Access to the display shelves is from the back, either by way of sliding panels or a drop back. This presents several obvious difiiculties. It is difficult to remove and replace the contents, or to arrange the articles in a pleasing manner. Also, the access from the rear is inconvenient because of the obstruction within the limited area generally available back of the counter. Furthermore, it is difilcult to clean the interior of the glass surfaces, particularly the back of the glass front, when working through the limited opening at the back of the case.

To overcome these difiiculties with the conventional style of display case, I have provided a front-opening case of improved construction and arrangement. While simple hinge-type front-opening cases are known, more particularly in the sloping-front style used for meats and other foods, I am not aware of any arrangement of substantially vertical-front display case by which the front may be opened in a manner acceptable for use in department stores and the like.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a glass-front display case in which the front of the case may be quickly and easily opened in a manner which will permit installing and arranging displays from the front without obstructing the aisle or blocking access to the counter top, thereby enabling the contents of the case effectively to be arranged by a person working from the normal viewing angle.

In accordance with these objects, I have provided a construction in which the glass front is mounted for translational movement outwardly and downwardly, when the case is to be opened, so as to avoid the use of hinges or other arrangements requiring the front to be swung out into the aisle and interfering with free access to the case when the front is opened.

In the drawings illustrating the invention, Fig. 1 is an oblique view showing a case embodying my invention, the particular style of case being for purposes of illustration only; Fig. 2 is a sectional view in side elevation, taken on'the line 22 of Fig. l, with the front closed; Fig. 3 is a view similarly taken, but with the front withdrawn prior to lowering; Fig. 4 shows the case with the front lowered to provide free access; Fig. 5 is a detail View of one end of the front structure, showing a vertical guideway; Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of said end and guideway, taken on line 6--8 of Fig. 5; and Fig. '7 is a sectional detail through a horizontal guideway, taken on the line 1-7 of Fig. 3.

The showcase of Fig. l is provided with a glass top l2 and glass front I l for the display portion of the case. The ends It of the case are shown as solid, as Well as the lower front portion l8, but these may readily be of glass, if desired. The glass front is is shown as mounted in a frame or molding 20 of substantial thickness, but it will be understood that such showing is in order that the relationship of the parts may be better illustrated. In the actual construction the frame for the glass may be relatively small in cross section, consisting for example of the commonly employed metal channels.

Through a combination of horizontal and vertical guideways, the glass front is mounted to permit withdrawal outwardly after which it may be lowered to a position substantially below the opening to the interior of the case. The vertical guideways comprise slotted channel members 24 secured to the inner faces of the ends of the frame 20. Within these channels are slidingly received the headed ends 26 of rods 28. Thus the front may be raised or lowered relative to the rods 28, within the limits of the channels 24.

The horizontal rods 28 are in turn received in guideways 32 extending from front to back of the case beneath the shelf 34. In general, only limited sliding movement is necessary, as the front need be withdrawn only a few inches from closed position, after which it can be lowered out of the way. Accordingly, stop pins 36 carried by rods 28 are preferably employed to limit the outward movement of the rods to the distance provided by slots 33 in the guideways 32,

To retain the glass front in closed position, means may be provided at the ends or in intermediate positions for securing the frame 20 to the adjacent positions of the case structure. In the illustrative embodiment, locks 20 are shown mounted in the upper and lower rails of the frame 20. These locks may be of standard construction. having locking arms 42 at their rear, to be swung into or out of locking position to the rear of the fixed members through operation of keys inserted in the locks.

The operation of the case is readily apparent from the several figures. Fig. 2 shows the front closed, with the locks holding the front in place and preventing unauthorized opening. In Fig. 2, the front has been pulled forward, utilizing the horizontal guideways. The final step is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the front is lowered to the limit of the vertical gu ideways, and hangs clear of the opening in the case. Not only is free access provided to the case for arranging articles on the shelf 34, working from the position in which they will be viewed, but in addition the glass surfaces are easily cleaned, including both surfaces of the glass front. It is likewise apparent that the front even when being opened does. not extend out any appreciable distance into the aisle, so as to interfere with the free passage of customers.

Closing the case is equally simple; the front is lifted vertically and then pushed to the rear into the opening in the case, after which the locks are turned and the keys withdrawn. The provision of the guideways insures that the front will be quickly and easily returned to proper position.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a display case or merchandising unit which permits completely free and unobstructed access over the entire length of the case, as contrasted with the sliding rear panels commonly employed. Indeed, my construction makes possible the advance preparation, outside the case, of an entire dis play, which may then be put in the case by exchanging with the display previously in place. Thus the changing of displays may be greatly expedited.

While a specific arrangement of guideways has been illustrated and described for accomplishing the desired result, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to such arrangement, and comprehends other constructions and arrangements within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a display case having a display region adjacent the top thereof, a transparent panel in front of the display region, and means for mounting the transparent panel for opening movement to provide access to said display region from the front of the case, said mounting means comprising vertical guideways associated with the transparent panel, horizontal guideways mounted in the case adjacent the ends of the display region, and members slidable within said guide- Ways for connecting the transparent panel with the case upon outward and downward translational displacement of the panel away from the display region to permit free access thereto.

2. In a display case having a display region adjacent the top thereof, a transparent panel in front of the display region, and means for mounting the transparent panel for bodily outward and downward displacement to provide front access to the display region, said means comprising substantially horizontal guideways within the case adjacent the ends of the display region, members slidable within said guideways, substantially vertical guideways intermediate the slidable members and the transparent panel adjacent the ends thereof, and connections between the outer ends of the sliding members and the vertical guideways.

JULIUS E; STEINBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 714,206 Lippincott Nov. 25, 1902 734,53? Gilmour July 28, 1903 946,872 Bair Jan. 18, 1910 2,282,384 Schenck May 12, 1942 2,572,381 Peterson Oct. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 278,286 Italy Oct. 4, 1930 

